Folding crutch



E. J. WILLIS FOLDING CRUTCH Jan. 30, 1934.

Nov. 15, 19 0 2,2 F O ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FOLDING GRUTCH Application November 15, 1932 Serial No.642,791

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding crutches, and has for the primaryobject, the provision of a device of the above stated character whichwill be safe from accidental collapsing when in use and may be easilyand quickly folded to occupy only a comparatively small space, therebyproviding a more practical device and one which may be convenientlycarried or stored.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation illustrating a crutch constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is an edge elevation illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the crutch in a folded position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary edge elevation partly in sectionillustrating the means of retaining the crutch in an operative orextended position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the same.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing the crutchfolded.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a crutchconsisting of sections 2 and 3, which sections are hingedly connectedwhereby the sections may be folded one upon the other when not using thecrutch. The sections are joined by combined hinges and fasteners 4, eachof which consists of attaching shanks 5 and 6 which are riveted orotherwise secured to the sections of the crutch. The section 5 isprovided with spaced ears 7 carrying an eccentrically located pivot pin8 also extending eccentrically through an ear 9 formed integrally withthe shank 6 and is movable with respect to the ears '7 for eitherextending or collapsing the crutch and one edge of the ear 9 is providedwith a notch 10 to be engaged by a spring pressed dog 11 pivotallymounted, as at 12, to the shank 5. The dog 11 when in engagement withthe notch will retain the ear 9 between the ears '7 or the crutch in anextended position.

While the combined hinge and catch 4 is shown employed for connectingthe sections of a crutch it may also be employed for connecting anyother pair of sections of any device.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, as claimed.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A crutch comprising a pair of sections, spaced ears extending across theend of one section, an ear on the other section to fit between thespaced ears and having a notch in one end, a pivot pin connecting theears, and a dog pivoted adjacent the spaced ears and having its free endfitting between said ears and formed with a shoulder to engage the notchin the other ear to maintain the crutch sections in alignment.

ELIJAH J. WILLIS.

